NEW YORK, Dec 24 (Reuters) – Short interest on the New York Stock Exchange rose 2.4 percent in mid-December, the exchange said on Tuesday.

On December 13, short interest increased to about 16.155 billion shares, compared to 15.784 billion shares on November 29.

Investors short selling securities borrow shares and then sell them, expecting the stock to fall so they can buy the shares at a lower price, return them to the lender and pocket the difference.